Operator control station for controlling different work machines

ABSTRACT

In order to enhance an operator&#39;s ability to control a work machine, an operator control station includes a seat assembly that is moveably mounted to a body of the work machine. The operator can control, at least in part, primary operator controllable aspects of the work machine by manipulating work machine operating controls attached to move with the seat assembly. The operator can monitor a work machine operating condition, at least in part, via a work machine operating condition display panel also attached to move with the seat assembly. In addition, the operator control station is interchangeable among a plurality of work machines of different types and sizes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to operator control stations,and more specifically to an interchangeable operator control station foruse in a plurality of different work machines.

BACKGROUND

When designing operator control stations for work machines, engineershave multiple objectives. First, as work machines become more complex,work machine operators increasingly need the ability to vary theirviewing perspective to more effectively operate implements of the workmachines. For example, a backhoe has a loader on a front end of themachine and an excavator attached to a rear end of the machine. Ideally,the operator should be able to rotate the seat between a position inwhich he can view the loader and a position in which he can view theexcavator. Further, engineers are constantly searching for ways toprovide a more comfortable work environment for the operator. Theoperator may be in a cab of the work machine for long periods of timeand may be subjected to vibrations and jarring caused by rough terrainand the operation of the work machine. In addition, the operator shouldbe able to reach work machine operation controls, such as steeringwheels, pedals, and levers, and to monitor the work machine operatingconditions on a display panel from all seat positions. Engineers arecontinually seeking strategies to achieve the ideal positioning of theoperator without sacrificing the comfort of the operator or machineefficiency.

One strategy for designing an operator control station that achievesthese objectives is to attach the work machine operation controls to arotating operator's seat such that when the operator changes theposition of his seat the controls will remain within his reach. Forinstance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,462 to Tatara et al. teaches a backhoewith a rotating seat that includes implement controls joystick) on eacharm of the seat. In another example, an operator control station, suchas that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,691 issued to Grigg on Mar. 15,1988, includes a seat that the operator can rotate 180° in order tooperate the work machine in both forward and reverse directions. Handcontrols, such as joysticks, are attached to the seat so that theoperator can reach the joysticks from any seated position within thecab. Further, a shock absorbing suspension system is included in theseat in order to increase the operator's comfort by insulating theoperator from vibrations.

Although some of the work machine operation controls are attached tomove with the Grigg operator control station, other controls theoperator must manipulate, and displays the operator must monitor duringoperation of the work machine, are attached to the machine. Forinstance, foot pedals that control the acceleration and braking of themachine are attached to the body of the work machine. Similarly, thedisplay panel from which the operator can monitor the operatingconditions of the work machine also is stationary. Thus, the operatorcannot easily monitor all operating conditions while in all seatpositions. Besides limiting the operator's ability to control andmonitor the work machine from all positions, the stationary controls andpanels also limit the engineers ability to enhance the operator'scomfort. An active suspension and/or ergonomic strategies that move theoperator's seat to compensate for the vibrations caused by the machineor uneven ground are not easily utilized because they may alter theposition of the operator with respect to the stationary controls andpanel. The stationary controls and panels also limit the space theoperator has in the cab. Moreover, work machine operators come in allshapes and sizes. Therefore, a relatively small or relatively largeoperator may need to adjust the positioning of the seat which may inreturn affect the operator's view outside the cab and of the displaypanel within the cab.

In addition, the Grigg operator control station is designed for aspecific type of work machine, a Load-Haul Dump vehicle, and thus, islimited in its application. When an operator control station is designedfor a specific type or size of work machine, it may include an interfacewith specific controls that are different than the interfaces ofoperator control stations designed for other types and sizes of workmachines. Thus, the operator may find it difficult to learn and operatedifferent work machines or different sizes of the same type of workmachine.

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of theproblems as set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an operator control stationincludes a seat assembly to which an electronic control module and atleast one implementation control are attached. The electronic controlmodule is operably coupled to the implementation control.

In another aspect of the present invention, a seat assembly of anoperator control station is moveably mounted to a body of a workmachine. At least one of a work machine operating condition displaypanel and work machine operation controls are attached to move with theseat assembly.

In still another aspect of the present invention, there is a method ofcontrolling a work machine. A seat assembly is moveably mounted in thework machine. An operator controls primary operator controllable aspectsof the work machine, at least in part, by manipulating work machineoperation controls attached to move with the seat assembly. The operatormonitors a work machine operating condition, at least in part, via adisplay panel also attached to move with the seat assembly.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of differentwork machines include interchangeable operator control stations.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is a method ofinstalling an interchangeable operator control station, including a seatassembly, in a work machine. Non-specific work machine operationcontrols and an electronic control module are attached to the seatassembly that is moveably mounted to the work machine. Data specific tothe work machine is supplied to the electronic control module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of a plurality of different work machines,each including an interchangeable operator control station according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the interchangeable operator control stationattached to one of the work machines of FIG. 1 according to a preferredversion of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the interchangeable operator control stationattached to one of the work machines of FIG. 1 according to analternative version of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the operator control station attached to one ofthe work machines of FIG. 1 according to the preferred version of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a representation of a plurality ofdifferent work machines 9, each including an interchangeable operatorcontrol station 11 a, 11 b, 11 c. It should be appreciated that the term“different work machines” is referring to work machines that aredissimilar due to each work machine's type and/or size, and not simplybecause each work machine is a separate, but identical, machine. Theplurality of work machines 9 includes work machines of different types,including, but not limited to a backhoe loader 12, a vibratory drumcompactor 13, and a track-type tractor 14. Although the interchangeableoperator control stations 11 a, 11 b, 11 c are shown installed in thebackhoe loader 12, the vibratory drum compactor 13, and the track-typetractor 14, it should be appreciated that the interchangeable operatorcontrol station could be installed in virtually any type or size of workmachine, regardless of the implements of the work machine or vehicle.For example, the operator seated in the interchangeable operator controlstation 11 a can control a loader and an excavator, the operator in theoperator control station 11 b can control a roller, and the operator inthe operator control station 11 c can control a shovel. Further, theplurality of different work machines 9 also includes work machines ofdifferent sizes. Thus, the operator control station is described asinterchangeable because it can be installed within different sizes ofwork machines within product lines and/or even across product lines.

It should be appreciated that each interchangeable operator controlstation 11 a, 11 b, and 11 c is similarly structured, but specialized tothe specific types and sizes of work machine 12, 13, 14 to which it ismounted. The operator control stations 11 a, 11 b, 11 c include a seatassembly 15 that is preferably moveably mounted to a body 10, 18, 19 ofeach work machine 12, 13, 14. It should be appreciated that the seatassembly 15 could be moveably mounted on a base 16 that is attached tothe body 10, 18, 19 of the work machine 12, 13, 14, or the seat assembly15 could be attached to the base 16 that is moveably mounted to the workmachine 12, 13, 14. It also should be appreciated that the base 16 canbe of any type providing suitable support to the seat assembly 15 andallowing for movement of the seat assembly 15. As shown in FIG. 2, theoperator can preferably rotate the seat assembly 15 360° about avertical axis 44, move the seat assembly 15 along a horizontal axis 45,and adjust the height of the seat assembly 15. However, the presentinvention includes any seat assembly moveable with respect to the body10, 18, 19 of the work machine 12, 13, 14, including a seat assemblythat rotates less than 360°, or moves along at least one axis. Theoperator control stations 11 a, 11 b, 11 c preferably include electroniccontrol modules, referred to as the main electronic control modules 17a, 17 b, 17 c. Although the main electronic control modules 17 a, 17 b,17 c are preferably embedded in a seat 18 of the seat assembly 15, itshould be appreciated that the main electronic control modules 17 a, 17b, 17 c could be positioned at different locations within the operatorcontrol stations 11 a, 11 b, 11 c. Further, the main electronic controlmodules 17 a, 17 b, 17 c could be positioned within the base 16 orwithin the body 10, 18, 19 of the work machines 12, 13, 14. Each mainelectronic control module 17 a, 17 b, 17 c preferably includesprogramming specific to the type of work machine 12, 13, 14 to which itis attached. However, it should be appreciated that there may be someaspects of the programming that are general to the plurality of workmachines 9.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of the interchangeableoperator control station 11 a attached to the work machine 12 of FIG. 1according to the preferred version of the present invention. Althoughthe application of the present invention will be described for thebackhoe 12, it should be appreciated that the present invention operatessimilarly in any type or size of work machine within the plurality ofwork machines 9. It should also be appreciated the interchangeableoperator control station 11 a may also be referred to as the operatorcontrol station 11 a. At least one of work machine operation controls 20and a work machine display panel 21 are attached to move with the seatassembly 15. Although the present invention contemplates an operatorcontrol station 11 in which only the display panel 21 or the workmachine operation controls 20 are attached to move with the seatassembly 15, the preferred and alternative versions of the inventioninclude both the work machine operating condition display panel 21 andthe work machine operation controls 20 being attached to move with theseat assembly 15.

Hand controls 22 that act as the work machine operation controls 20 arepreferably attached to arm rest 23 and 24, although they could beattached to the seat assembly 15 at any position within the operator'sreach. It should be appreciated that the present invention contemplateswork machine operation controls 20 other than hand controls 22,including, but not limited to, foot controls, to move with the seatassembly 15. The work machine operation controls 20 are in communicationwith the main electronic control module 17 a via either animplementation communication line 25 or a driving communication line 46,and the main electronic control module 17 a is in communication with atleast one electronic control module (shown in FIG. 4) within the body 10of the work machine 12 via a data link 29. The work machine operatingcondition display panel 21 is preferably attached to one of the armrests 23 or 24 of the seat assembly 15, although the work machineoperation condition display panel 21 could be attached to the seatassembly 15 at any position within the operator's view. The work machineoperating condition display panel 21 is preferably adjustable withrespect to the seat assembly 15. The seated operator can move thedisplay panel 21 towards and away from him, upwards or downwards, oreven swing the display panel 21 around in order to enter and exit theoperator control station 11 a. Further, the display panel 21 preferablyincludes a lock 26 so that the display panel 21 does not move duringoperation of the work machine 12. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the work machine operating condition display panel 21could be moveably attached to one of the arm rests 23 or 24 by anysuitable means. For instance, the display panel 21 is illustrated asincluding an arm 27 that is pivotally attached to the one of the armrests 23 or 24 of the seat assembly 15, allowing the display panel 21 tomove upward and downward. The arm 27 includes a second pivot 28 allowingthe display panel 21 to move toward and away from the seated operator.Lastly, the display panel 21 could be moveably attached to its arm 27,such that it could swing out to allow the operator to enter and exit.

Referring still to FIG. 2, there are additional enhancements includedwithin the operator control station 11 a. A foot rest 39 is preferablyattached to move with the seat assembly 15 and is adjustable withrespect to the seat assembly 15. A noise cancellation system 32 ispreferably includes speakers positioned within a head rest 33 of theseat assembly 15. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variousnoise cancellation systems could be installed at various positionswithin the operator control station 11 a. The illustrated noisecancellation system 32 includes a stereo attached to speakersdistributing either cancellation noise and/or entertainment depending onthe preference of the operator. Although the speakers are preferablyattached to the head rest 33, it should be appreciated that the stereocould be positioned within the head rest 33 or attached to the seatassembly 15 at various positions, such as to one of the arm rests 23 or24 so that the operator can control the system 32. A climate control 34system is also preferably included within the operator control station11 a. The climate control system 34 could also be of various types, suchas forced air heating and cooling and a seat heating element, or acombination of both. The present invention illustrates the climatecontrol system 34 as including a plurality of forced air heating/coolingvents 35 connected to each other, a heater and an air conditioner via aproperly insulated duct 36. The forced air heating/cooling vents 35 arepreferably positioned on the seat assembly 15 so that the climatecontrol system 34 surrounds the operator. Further, a seat heatingelement could also be positioned within the seat 18 and controlled bythe operator. In addition, an active suspension system 37 is preferablyoperably positioned between the work machine body 10 and the seatassembly 15. The active suspension system 37 is preferably incommunication with the main electronic control module 17 a. The activesuspension system 37 is designed to maintain the equilibrium of theoperator even when the work machine 12 is operating over rough, uneven,or slanted terrain, such as on the side of a hill. The active suspensionwill also insulate the operator from the vibrations of the work machine12. There are different active suspension systems 37 that could be usedwith the present invention. For example, sensors could be positionedwithin the seat assembly 15 in order to detect when the seat 18 is outof equilibrium. The sensors would then communicate this information to amotor mechanism assembly via the electronic control module 17 a, and themotor mechanism assembly could then level the seat. The same could beaccomplished with an electro-hydraulic system. Although the operator maynot have complete control over the operation of the automatic activesuspension system 37, it is preferred that the operator could partlycontrol the automatic movement of the seat 18 by pre-selectinglimitations on the active suspension system 37 into the memory of theelectronic control module 17 a.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a side view of the operator controlstation 111 a of FIG. 1 according to an alternative version of thepresent invention. Just as with the preferred version of the presentinvention, the active suspension system 37, the noise cancellationsystem 32, the climate control system 34, and the work machine operatingcondition display panel 21 are included within the operator controlstation 111 a. However, in the alternative version, the work machineoperation controls 20 include both hand controls 22 and foot controls40. The foot controls 40 are preferably attached to a foot rest 139 thatis attached to move with the seat assembly 15. The foot rest 139, andthus the foot controls 40, are preferably adjustable with respect to theseat assembly 15. The foot controls 40 are preferably pedals thatcontrol some aspect of the work machine 12, such as the braking andacceleration of the work machine 12. The foot controls 40 are incommunication with the main electronic control module 17 a via a footcontrol communication line 41.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a top view of the operator controlstation 11 a attached to the work machine 12 of FIG. 1 according topreferred version of the present invention. Although the work machineoperation controls 20 preferably includes implementation controls 42 anddriving controls 43, the present invention includes an operator controlstation in which there is only one implementation control 42 attached tothe seat assembly 15. By manipulating the implementation controls 42,the operator can control, at least in part, the implementations, thebackhoe and the loader, of the work machine 12. By manipulating thedriving controls 43, the operator can control, at least in part, themovement of the work machine 12 itself. In the preferred version all ofthe work machine operation controls 20 are preferably hand controls 22.Thus, the implementation controls 42 preferably are attached to the armrest 23 on a first side of the seat assembly 15, and the drivingcontrols 43 preferably are attached to the arm rest 24 on a second sideof the seat assembly 15. In addition, the different controls could havedifferent control capabilities depending on seat position. For instance,when rotated to the excavator side of the backhoe both hand controlscould be assigned to control the different aspects of the excavator(bucket, stick, boom, swing). Although for purposes of illustrating thepresent invention, the implementation controls 42 are attached on theright arm rest 23 and the driving controls 43 are attached to the leftarm rest 24, either controls 42 or 43 could be attached on either armrest 23 or 24. However, it should be appreciated that for uniformitypurposes within and across product lines, the placement of theimplementation controls 42 and the driving controls 43 preferablyremains consistent. Also, it should be appreciated that other types ofhand controls, such as seat or temperature controls, could be attachedto the arm rests 23, 24. By manipulating the seat controls, the operatorcould preferably move the seat assembly 15 left, right, forward,backward, and raise or lower the seat assembly 15.

It should be appreciated that the hand controls 22 can be of varyingtypes, sizes, and numbers. For instance, as illustrated, the handcontrols 22 include joysticks and switches. However, if the purchaser oroperator prefers, the hand controls 22 could include, but are notlimited to, mouse-like knobs, buttons, and small steering wheels.Moreover, depending on the number of operator controllable aspects ofthe specific work machine, the number of hand controls 22 may vary. Itshould be appreciated that all the desired implementation controls 42could be included in one modular unit such that after the purchaserchooses the desired type and number of controls 42, the manufacture ordealer could attach the modular unit to the arm rest 24 of the seatassembly 15 already installed in the work machine 12. The same couldapply for the driving controls 43.

Referring still to FIG. 4, in the illustrated example, the mainelectronic control module 17 a is in communication with four electroniccontrol modules 50, 51, 52, 53 attached to the body 10 of the workmachine 12. An engine electronic control module 50, an implementelectronic control module 51, a transmission electronic control module52, and an auxiliary electronic control module 53 are all incommunication with the main electronic control module 17 a via an enginecommunication line 60, an implement communication line 61, atransmission communication line 62 and an auxiliary communication line63, respectively. The communication lines 60, 61, 62, and 63 are, atleast in part, merged into a casing 64 and included within the data link29. The data link 29 is connected to the main electronic control module17 a via a connector 65, although there could be more than oneconnector. For instance, each communication line could attach to themain electronic control module 17 a via its own connector. There mightalso be wireless communication. It should be appreciated that eachcommunication line 60, 61, 62, and 63 may be redundantly wired, meaningthat there would be two of each communication line in order to protectagainst failure. It should also be appreciated that although theillustrated example includes four electronic control modules 50, 51, 52,53 within the body 10 of the work machine 12, there could be any numberof electronic control modules, including only a second electroniccontrol module that controls the engine, transmission, implement,auxiliary, etc. In addition, there may be no additional electroniccontrol modules, such that the main electronic control module 17 acontrols all aspects of the work machine operation.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown the plurality of workmachines 9 including interchangeable operator control stations 11 a, 11b, 11 c. Although the installation and the operation of the presentinvention will be described for a backhoe loader 12, it should beappreciated that the installation and operation is similar of thepresent invention for any type or size of work machine within theplurality of work machines 9. During assembly of the operator controlstation 11 a, the enhancements, such as the noise cancellation system32, the climate control system 34, and the active suspension 37, will bepositioned within the operator control station 11 a. The seat 18 will beergonomically designed to shape to the operator's physique by any one ofthe methods known in the art. The display panel 21 will be attached toone of the arm rests 23 or 24 via the display panel arm 27 and wired tothe main electronic control module 17 a embedded in the seat 18 via thedisplay panel communication line 30. Data specific to the work machinefor which the operator control station 11 a is being assembled, in thisinstance the backhoe loader 12, is included in the main electroniccontrol module 17 a. There are various methods for including thespecific data into the main electronic control module 17 a that canoccur at different stages of assembly and installation. For instance, ifthe operator control station 11 a is already assembled with the mainelectronic control module 17 a embedded in the seat 18, the mainelectronic control module 17 a can be connected to an external computerin order to download the program specific to the work machine 12 intomain electronic control module 17 a. This process could occur prior toor after installation the operator control station 11 a in the workmachine 12. In addition, during assembly of the operator control station11 a, a chip programmed with the specific data to the work machine 12could be inserted into the main electronic control module 17 a prior toembedding the main electronic control module 17 a in the seat 18.Regardless of the method, there will likely be some aspects of theprogram general to the plurality of the different work machines 9.

The seat assembly 15 of the interchangeable operator control station 11a is moveably mounted to the body 10 of the work machine 12 by any oneof the methods known in the art. The seat assembly 15 can be moveablymounted such that the base 16 rotates with the seat assembly 15 or thatthe seat assembly 15 rotates about the base 16. The main electroniccontrol module 17 a will be connected to the electronic control modules50, 51, 52, and 53 via the communication lines 60, 61, 62, 63 includedwithin the data link 29 by attaching the connector 65 to the mainelectronic control module 17 a. The casing 64 around the communicationlines 60, 61, 62, 63 will be made of a flexible material in order toallow the rotation of the seat assembly 15 about the vertical axis 44.It should be appreciated that the work machine operation controls 20could be attached to the seat assembly 15 and connected to the mainelectronic control module 17 a prior to or after moveably mounting theoperator control station 11 a within the work machine 12. However, ifthe work machine operation controls 20 are attached after moveablymounting the seat assembly 15, the purchaser could choose the workmachine operation controls 20 from a display of joysticks, switches,buttons, mini steering wheels, etc. The dealer could then attach thepreferred hand controls to the arm rest 23, 24 and connect the controls20 to either the implementation communication line 25 or the drivingcommunication line 46 via a connector. The purchaser could choose boththe desired implementation controls 42 and driving controls 43, whenbuying the work machine 12.

In preparation for operation of the work machine 12, the operator candetermine his ideal position within the cab to control the work machine12. The operator can adjust the position of the seat assembly 15 bymoving the seat assembly 15 upward, downward, left or right. Thoseskilled in the art appreciate that the movement of the seat assembly 15along the horizontal 45 or vertical axis 44 can be accomplished by manymethods, such as a motor mechanism assembly. Further, the operator canadjust the positioning of the work machine operating condition displaypanel 21 relative to the seat assembly 15. The operator can swing thedisplay panel 21 outward so he can enter and exit the operator controlstation 11 a. The operator can raise or lower the display panel 21, orpush or pull the display panel 21 away from or towards himself. Once theoperator determines the ideal position for the display panel 21, he canlock the display panel 21 into position and monitor the work machineoperating condition, at least in part, via the display panel 21. Theoperator may also be able to store these positions of the display panel21 and the seat assembly 15 in the memory of the electronic controlmodule 17 a so that it can be quickly reconfigured for that individualoperator. It should be appreciated that the work machine operatingcondition could include, but is not limited to, the primary aspects ofoperating condition, such as fuel levels, speed, battery condition,implement status, oil pressure, engine temperature, and may not includeall aspects of operating condition, such as secondary work machineoperating conditions, including but not limited to lights and doorlocks.

Once the operator determines the ideal position of himself and thedisplay panel 21, the operator can secure himself into the operatorcontrol station 11 a and begin to operator the work machine 12. Duringoperation of the work machine 12, the operator's ideal position withinthe cab may change. For instance, in work machines, such as the backhoeloader 12, there are more than one implements attached to differentsides of the work machine 12, and the operator must rotate the operatorcontrol station 11 a to operate the different implements. Because thedisplay panel 21 is attached to move with the seat assembly 15, theoperator will be able to monitor the work machine operating conditionwhile rotating the seat assembly 15. In addition, during the operationof the work machine 12, the operator can control the primary operatorcontrollable aspects of the work machine operation, at least in part, bymanipulating the work machine operation controls 20 attached to movewith the seat assembly 15. It should be appreciated that the primaryoperator controllable aspects of work machine operation include, but arenot limited to, acceleration, braking, steering, implementation control,and may not include secondary operator controllable aspects, such aslights and locks.

On the first side of the seat assembly 15, preferably attached to thearm rest 23, there will be hand controls 22 acting as the implementationcontrols 42. The purchaser can choose the type of hand controls 22. Bymanipulating the implementation controls 42, the operator can controlthe excavator and the loader. For instance, the operator can operate theexcavator by manipulating the joysticks, and then rotate the seatassembly 15, change a switch setting, and manipulate the same joystickin order to control the loader. The same or similar hand controls 22will be used as implementation controls 42 in the other work machines13, 14. For instance, joysticks may be positioned on the first side armrest 24 of the vibratory drum compactor 13 and the track-type tractor 14to operate their implements, being the roller and the shovel,respectively.

When the operator manipulates the implementation controls 42, such asmoves the joystick forward in order to lift the implement, thisinformation will be communicated to the main electronic control module17 a via the implementation communication line 25. The main electroniccontrol module 17 a will determine the aspects of the work machineoperation that must be altered in order to lift the implement, andcommunicate this data to the appropriate electronic control moduleswithin the body of the work machine 12. When there is more than oneimplement, such as with the backhoe loader 12, the implementationelectronic control module 51 will control one implementation and theauxiliary electronic control module 53 will control the otherimplementation. In this instance of the operator wanting to lift theimplement, the main electronic control module 17 a may not onlycommunicate with the implementation electronic control module 51 toraise the implement, it may also communicate with the engine electroniccontrol module 50 if the operator is driving the machine 12 too quicklyor turning the machine 12 too sharply to safely raise the implement. Themain electronic control module 17 a would communicate to the engineelectronic control module 50 via the engine communication line 60 toslow the work machine 12. Thus, by relaying the appropriate informationthrough the main electronic control module 17 a before sending it to theappropriate electronic control modules within the work machine 12, theoperator control station 11 a can help to avoid operator error thatleads to safety issues.

On the second side of the seat assembly 15, preferably attached to thesecond arm rest 24, there are the driving controls 43. Just as with theimplementation controls 42, the purchaser can choose the type of thehand control 22 that serve as driving controls 43. As illustrated, thehand control 22 can be a joystick. When the operator moves the joystickleft, the operator's order to turn left will be communicated to the mainelectronic control module 17 a via the driving communication line 46.The main electronic control module 17 a will then relay the data to turnthe work machine 12 left to the engine electronic control module 50. Ifthe electronic control module 17 a determines that the operator isdriving the work machine 12 too quickly to safely turn the work machine12 at the desired angle, the main electronic control module 17 a mayalso communicate to the transmission electronic control module 52 toslow the work machine 12. The main electronic control module 17 a mightcompensate for any operator error with the driving controls 43. Inaddition to the hand control 22 that steers the work machine 12, theremust be a hand control 22 that controls the speed of the work machine12. It should be appreciated that one hand control 22 could control boththe direction and the speed of the work machine 12. For instance, inorder to accelerate the work machine 12, the hand control 22, such asthe preferred joystick, could be moved forward. The farther forward thejoystick 22 is moved, the greater the acceleration. In order to slow thework machine 12, the operator could pull back on the joystick 22. Thefarther back the operator pulls the joystick 22, the slower the workmachine 12 will move. However, when the joystick 22 is at top deadcenter, the work machine 12 is stationary. Once the operator moves thejoystick 22 towards himself and past top dead center, the work machinewill reverse. In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, theoperator controls the acceleration and braking of the work machine 12 bymanipulating the foot controls 40, preferably pedals attached to thefoot rest 139 to move with the seat assembly 15. However, the operatorof the alternative version will still control the direction of the workmachine 12 via the hand controls 22 similarly to the operator in thepreferred version.

It should be appreciated that similar manipulations of the work machineoperation controls 20, regardless of the type of hand controls, could bemade to result in similar movements of each type and size of workmachine within the plurality of work machines 9. Because the programspecific to each work machine 12, 13, 14 preferably includes aspectsgeneral to the plurality of different work machines 9, the mainelectronic control modules 17 a, 17 b, 17 c may process the informationsent from the controls 20 similarly. The main electronic control modules17 a, 17 b, 17 c may be programmed such that moving the driving control43 on the first arm rest 23 to a predetermined position to the rightwill cause each work machine 12, 13, 14 to make a similar angled rightturn, or moving the driving control 43 from top dead center to a certainposition past top dead center may cause each work machine 12, 13, 14 toaccelerate to a similar speed. Thus, the driving controls 43 and theimplementation controls 42 for each work machine 12 may have a similarlook and feel in order to allow the operator to easily transfer hisoperating skills between work machines 12, 13, 14. It should beappreciated that the correlation between the movement of the workmachine and the manipulation of the work machine operation controls 20may not be identical in machines of varying sizes and limitations.

The present invention is advantageous because the work machine operationcontrols 20 and the work machine operating condition display panel 21are attached to move with the seat assembly 15, rather than stationary.Because the controls 20 and the display panel 21 move with the seatassembly 15, the operator can control the primary operator controllableaspects of the work machine operation without sacrificing his idealposition within the cab of the work machine 12, 13, 14. For instance,the operator of the backhoe loader 12 can operate the loader, and thenrotate the operator control station 180° in order to operate theexcavator without attempting to still reach the stationary pedals or thestationary controls. Further, operators of all sizes can enhance theirview outside the cab by adjusting the seat assembly 15 in any directionwithout concerns about reaching the foot pedals. Even in the alternativeversion of the present invention, the operator needs not be concernedabout reaching the foot pedals because the foot pedals 40 are attachedto move with the seat assembly 15 and are adjustable with respect to theseat assembly 15. Also, by attaching the controls 20 and display panel21 to move with the seat assembly 15, engineers are given increasedlatitude in designing operator control stations that are comfortable forthe operator. Because there is no concern about the operator maintainingthe ability to operate the controls 20 or monitor the display panel 21,active suspension systems, such as the active suspension system 37, thatmaintain the operator's equilibrium and insulate the operator fromvibrations of the machine can be used. Also, attaching the controls 20and the display panel 21 to move with the seat assembly 15 creates moreroom within the cab of the work machine 12, 13, 14. There is no longer aneed for a large dashboard with many displays and/or controls. Thus,operator conveniences, such as a small refrigerator or a second seat,may be placed into the cab.

Moreover, the present invention is advantageous because it includes oneelectronic control module 17 a, 17 b, 17 c that can process theoperator's manipulation of the controls 20 and deliver the data to theappropriate electronic control module 50, 51, 52, and/or 53 within thework machine 12, 13, 14. By utilizing one main electronic control module17 a, 17 b, 17 c to process information, the operator control station 11a, 11 b, 11 c can compensate for operator error, thereby reducing safetyconcerns. The main electronic control module 17 a, 17 b, 17 c will notpermit the operator to turn too sharply or lift the implement tooquickly, etc.

Also, by utilizing the main electronic control module 17 a, 17 b, 17 cin connection with the non-specific work machine operation controls 20,the operator control station can be interchangeable among a plurality ofdifferent types of work machines 9. By simply including informationspecific to the type of work machine into the electronic control module,the operator control station can be specialized to that particular typeof work machine. This can reduce costs of manufacturing multiple typesof operator control stations and can lead to increased operatorfamiliarity with the controls of various types of work machines.

It should be understood that the above description is intended forillustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe present invention in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art willappreciate that other aspects, objects, and advantages of the inventioncan be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and theappended claims.

1. An interchangeable operator control station, comprising: a seatassembly with mounting for similar installation in a plurality ofdissimilar work machines; at least one implementation control attachedto the seat assembly; an electronic control module attached to the seatassembly and operably coupled to at least one implementation control,and including programming specific to any one of a plurality ofdissimilar work machines; the electronic control module is operablycoupled to at least one driving control attached to the seat assembly;and the implementation control is attached to a first side of the seatassembly and the driving control is attached to a second side of theseat assembly.
 2. The operator control station of claim 1 wherein atleast one of the implementation control and the driving control includesa joystick.
 3. The operator control station of claim 2 wherein the seatassembly is moveable; at least one implementation control and at leastone driving control are attached to move with the seat assembly; a workmachine operating condition display panel is operably coupled to theelectronic control module and attached to move with the seat assembly; afoot rest is attached to move with the seat assembly; and an activesuspension system is attached to the seat assembly.
 4. The operatorcontrol station of claim 1 wherein the electronic control module isoperably coupled to a work machine operating condition display panelattached to the seat assembly.
 5. The operator control station of claim1 wherein the seat assembly is moveable.
 6. The operator control stationof claim 5 including a foot rest attached to move with the seatassembly.
 7. The operator control station of claim 1 including a climatecontrol system attached to the seat assembly.
 8. The operator controlstation of claim 1 including a noise cancellation system attached to theseat assembly.
 9. The operator control station of claim 1 including anactive suspension system operably coupled to the seat assembly.
 10. Awork machine comprising: an interchangeable operator control stationincluding a seat assembly; the seat assembly being moveably mounted to abody of the work machine; at least one of a work machine operatingcondition display panel and work machine operation controls beingattached to move with the seat assembly; said interchangeable operatorstation having a similar installation for being interchangeable with anoperator station of a dissimilar work machine; and a position of thework machine operating condition display panel is adjustable withrespect to the seat assembly.
 11. A method of controlling a workmachine, comprising the steps of: mounting an interchangeable operatorstation that includes a moveable seat assembly in a work machine with aninstallation that is similar for a plurality of dissimilar workmachines; programming an electronic control module associated with theinterchangeable operator station with data specific to one of aplurality of dissimilar work machines; controlling primary operatorcontrollable aspects of work machine operation, at least in part, bymanipulating work machine operation controls attached to move with theseat assembly; and monitoring a work machine operating condition, atleast in part, via a work machine operating condition display panelattached to move with the seat assembly.
 12. The method of claim 11wherein the step of controlling includes a step of controllingimplements of the work machine by manipulating implementation controlsattached to a first side of the seat assembly, and driving the workmachine by manipulating driving controls attached to a second side ofthe seat assembly.
 13. The method of claim 11 including a step ofadjusting a position of the operator by rotating the seat assemblyaround a vertical axis.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step ofadjusting the position of the operator includes a step of moving theseat assembly along at least one axis.
 15. The method of claim 11wherein the step of monitoring includes a step of adjusting a positionof the work machine operating condition display panel relative to theseat assembly.
 16. A work machine comprising: an interchangeableoperator control station including a seat assembly; the seat assemblybeing moveably mounted to a body of the work machine; at least one of awork machine operating condition display panel and work machineoperation controls being attached to move with the seat assembly; saidinterchangeable operator station having a similar installation for beinginterchangeable with an operator station of a dissimilar work machine;the work machine operation controls include implementation controls anddriving controls; and the implementation controls including at least onehand control attached to a first side of the seat assembly, and thedriving controls including at least one hand controls attached to asecond side of the seat assembly.
 17. The work machine of claim 16including an active suspension system operably positioned between thework machine and seat assembly.
 18. The work machine of claim 16 whereinthe operator control station includes a climate control system attachedto the seat assembly.
 19. The work machine of claim 16 wherein theoperator control station includes a noise cancellation system attachedto the seat assembly.
 20. The work machine of claim 16 wherein theoperator control station includes a foot rest attached to move with theseat assembly.
 21. A work machine comprising: an interchangeableoperator control station including a seat assembly; the seat assemblybeing moveably mounted to a body of the work machine; at least one of awork machine operating condition display panel and work machineoperation controls being attached to move with the seat assembly; saidinterchangeable operator station having a similar installation for beinginterchangeable with an operator station of a dissimilar work machine;an electronic control module attached to the seat assembly, andincluding programming specific to any one of a plurality of dissimilarwork machines; at least one of the work machine operating conditiondisplay panel and the work machine operation controls are incommunication with the electronic control module; the electronic controlmodule being a first electronic control module in communication with asecond electronic control module attached to the body of the workmachine; a position of the work machine operating condition displaypanel is adjustable with respect to the seat assembly; the work machineoperation controls include implementation controls attached to a firstside of the seat assembly, and driving controls attached to a secondside of the seat assembly; an active suspension system operablypositioned between the work machine and the seat assembly; and a footrest attached to move with the seat assembly.
 22. A group of two or moredissimilar work machines, comprising: each of the work machinesincluding an interchangeable operator control station; each saidinterchangeable operator control station includes identical hardware,but dissimilar programming; wherein each interchangeable operatorcontrol station includes at least one of work machine operation controlsand a work machine operating condition display panel being attached tomove with the seat assembly; wherein each interchangeable operatorcontrol station includes an electronic control module with theprogramming; wherein each electronic control module being a firstelectronic control module and being in communication with a secondelectronic control module attached to a body of each of the workmachines; wherein each said first electronic control module includessaid programming, which is specific to one of the dissimilar workmachines; the work machine operation controls include implementationcontrols and driving controls; and the implementation controls beingmounted on a first side of the seat assembly and the driving controlsbeing mounted on a second side of the seat assembly.